Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing line floats which incorporate an electric flashlight to indicate the taking of the bait by the fish from the hook at the end of the line remote from the float. Such floats normally contain the hollow float housing and incorporating within the same an electric battery, an illuminating element, a switching mechanism which connects the battery and the illuminating element in series as well as a hollow float part incorporated within the water displacement body which opens towards the water and which operates the switching means.
One such float is illustrated in British Pat. No. 835,140. The water displacement body constitutes in that patent a float which compresses two switching contacts via a membrane. The rest position of the float is determined by the surface of the water so that in the case of the float submerging to a variable depth, the sensitivity of response differs.
German Utility Pat. No. 6923633 shows another type of float in which the operating member for the switch is provided outside of the float and is closed in a watertight manner but is connected with the fishing line, whereby in case of a pull on the fishing line, there is effected the switching on of a light located in the float head. This type of float is relatively heavy and is also too insensitive in making contact in order to guarantee a fine response to even a slight tug of the fishing line.
German Pat. No. 1296452 employs an electric flashlight operated in accordance with a mercury switch provided within the float housing. This float too is cumbersome in terms of its illumination system and beyond that is heavy and relatively complicated in its structure.
By way of Swiss Pat. No. 254727, it is known to make an annular float consisting of wood electrically conductive on its surface and thus in the case of upward movement of the float, the conductive surface closes contacts for switching on of a light bulb. In this case too, sensitivity of response of the switch is dependent upon the depth of immersion of the float, providing problems.